Just bought a 1959 "Fiber Flite" and can't find any info anywhere! Help!

[Ididntdoit]

Just bought a "new to me" boat to restore. Sort of a "Batmobile" boat with fins. I can't find any information on line. I must be searching wrong because the guy I bought it from said that he found a lot of info. Can anyone help? Like it says in the title its a 1959 "Fiber Flite". If anyone has first hand knowledge that would be wonderful. Short of that if some one can point me in the right direction to look on my own I would be very grateful. I am especially looking for images. Thanks. (Just noticed that I had misspelled Flite with Flight. Could have been the problem!)

 

[5150abf]

Re: Just bought a 1959 "Fiber Flite" and can't find any info anywhere! Help!

Re: Just bought a 1959 "Fiber Flite" and can't find any info anywhere! Help!

welcome to iboats.

Just Binged it and came up with a ton of airplane stuff, you may need to go to the actual library, anybody remember those, they could have a book or 2 or contact tha the guy you bought it from and ask him.

Finding things pre internet can be hard at times, especially if it doesn't have a big following with people willing to get stuff on line.

 

[3rdtimesthecharm]

Re: Just bought a 1959 "Fiber Flite" and can't find any info anywhere! Help!

Re: Just bought a 1959 "Fiber Flite" and can't find any info anywhere! Help!

Try Fiberglassics.com

 

[Ididntdoit]

Re: Just bought a 1959 "Fiber Flite" and can't find any info anywhere! Help!

Re: Just bought a 1959 "Fiber Flite" and can't find any info anywhere! Help!

Thanks for the in put so far. After I changed the name from "Flight" to Flite I got more information, like it was made by a plastic company in Fort Worth, but I'm still looking for images. Especially the interior. This boat had two mahogany bench seats (I think), and I would like to see how to build them. They Measure 53 inches across in front and 43 inches across in back. That adds up to 96 inches or 8 ft. So I think I can build them just out of one sheet of plywood, which would be way cool. But I need images. Help!! Also this boat came with a "tilt" trailer, but it not only "tilts" it has a big ol fat lever in the very back that is attached to a bar that two of the carpet covered wooden runners are attached to. Whats up with that?! I think it makes the boards go up and down, or at least when it was new it may have. This is a really cool old boat. I'll post pictures asap so you guys can see what I'm talking about. Maybe it will help some other fool that's working on one of these treasures.

 

[Ididntdoit]

Re: Just bought a 1959 "Fiber Flite" and can't find any info anywhere! Help!

Re: Just bought a 1959 "Fiber Flite" and can't find any info anywhere! Help!

OK here are some pictures. I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I think this is a really kewl boat. But like I've been saying I need help finding pictures of the interior so I can make the seats. Like I said before, it appears there were two bench seats, and I belive they were wooden. Mahogany, I assume. Any help here?


This is what it looks like at the moment.


I think it's cool the way the two tone paint job is off set with the fiberglass.


This is the mechanism for the tilt trailer. Check out the little place to stand.






This is the big ol' handle in the back I was talking about. It's attached to the carpet covered boards in the back. Any in put here??

 

[2ndtry]

Re: Just bought a 1959 "Fiber Flite" and can't find any info anywhere! Help!

Re: Just bought a 1959 "Fiber Flite" and can't find any info anywhere! Help!

Hi, these were built by Multi-Plastics Company of Forth Worth, Texas. User HandyAndy from fiberGlassics has "lots of pictures" and my be able to help with interior pics. I also found pics and scans of the 1958 catalog at http://bigfinboats.com/forums/index.php?/topic/549-fiber-flite-58/.

As to the handle, perhaps it is part of the tilt mechanism?

 

[southkogs]

Re: Just bought a 1959 "Fiber Flite" and can't find any info anywhere! Help!

Re: Just bought a 1959 "Fiber Flite" and can't find any info anywhere! Help!

Welcome aboard:

I only found the same thing 2ndtry did.

Nice looking boat - I'm with you: love the 2 tone effect on the fiberglass. Good luck with it.

 

[kfa4303]

Re: Just bought a 1959 "Fiber Flite" and can't find any info anywhere! Help!

Re: Just bought a 1959 "Fiber Flite" and can't find any info anywhere! Help!

Hi ididntdoit. Cool boat you got there. I think the "big 'ol handle" in your last pic is a jack used to raise up the bunks (carpeted boards) the boat sits on. It was a common feature on older trailers. A company called "Gator" was sort of famous for them. Lots of folks try to seek them out so they will have a period correct trailer to go with their vintage boat. The jack allows you to lower the bunks when putting the boat into the water and/or putting the boat back on the trailer. Once the boat is back on the trailer, you jack it up to get it higher off of the ground to keep it from bottoming out while towing. Some trailers like MAGIC TILT also have a feature whereby the back half of the trailer can/does tilt to the ground while the tongue of the trailer stays level, but that is usually just a pin that can be removed. Just some guesses on my part. Let us know what you find.

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: Just bought a 1959 "Fiber Flite" and can't find any info anywhere! Help!

Re: Just bought a 1959 "Fiber Flite" and can't find any info anywhere! Help!

I was thinking handle for the tilt..

How about ya PULL IT! lol

 

[kewpie79]

Re: Just bought a 1959 "Fiber Flite" and can't find any info anywhere! Help!

Re: Just bought a 1959 "Fiber Flite" and can't find any info anywhere! Help!



I also have a 1959 fiberflite. Can you show me a pic of the interior? here are some brochure info I received.

 

[Ididntdoit]

Re: Just bought a 1959 "Fiber Flite" and can't find any info anywhere! Help!

Re: Just bought a 1959 "Fiber Flite" and can't find any info anywhere! Help!

Hey KewPie! Good to hear I have some one to commiserate with. Alas though I don't have an interior. I am in process of building two bench seats for it. I can / will post my design for you though. Once it's built I'll post pictures of the interior which, at best, will be just a guess. I have determined, from the brochure we both found, I have an "Angler". (Which wouldn't be much of a fishing boat, and they show it with a ski! What's up with that?) It has big standouts formed in the fiberglass that I assume were used to attach the back of the bench seats to. Any way that is what I am going to do. Thanks for writing and let me know if you find out anything else. I'll try to get my design on here today.

 

[kewpie79]

Re: Just bought a 1959 "Fiber Flite" and can't find any info anywhere! Help!

Re: Just bought a 1959 "Fiber Flite" and can't find any info anywhere! Help!

Do you have standouts in the front and back? I only have one in the front. The rear of mine appeared to have a bench on each side , about two feet long. I'll try to post a pic tomorrow.

 

[Ididntdoit]

Re: Just bought a 1959 "Fiber Flite" and can't find any info anywhere! Help!

Re: Just bought a 1959 "Fiber Flite" and can't find any info anywhere! Help!

Here is the design I was talking about. I am obviously not a good drafter and I took the liberty to just put in what I think is important, so I know I missed a lot of important things. :0) I did the drawing in Corel Draw and I don't know of a very good way to get it on here so it's clear. I'll post pictures of the seats when I finish them. Any one know of a good place online to get Marine Vinyl and foam?

 

[kewpie79]

Re: Just bought a 1959 "Fiber Flite" and can't find any info anywhere! Help!

Re: Just bought a 1959 "Fiber Flite" and can't find any info anywhere! Help!

That looks pretty good.

 

[Ididntdoit]

Re: Just bought a 1959 "Fiber Flite" and can't find any info anywhere! Help!

Re: Just bought a 1959 "Fiber Flite" and can't find any info anywhere! Help!

Here's a picture of the Fiber glass "Stand outs" (anyone know what they're really called?) on my "Fiber-Flite" boat for you kewpie. I have the plywood that I've cut out for the seats I'm building just sitting in it. I'm anxious to see your pictures.

 

[Ididntdoit]

Re: Just bought a 1959 "Fiber Flite" and can't find any info anywhere! Help!

Re: Just bought a 1959 "Fiber Flite" and can't find any info anywhere! Help!

Here's a pic of what I have so far. This is the front seat. The oval holes on the sides are going to be hidden from view but they will provide ample ventilation for the storage under the seat. The bottom of my boat is fairly flat, but there is a slight hump in the middle. That's why I decided to cut away some of the front and back in the center on the bottom of the frame. That will also help with ventilation. That's a good thing. I rounded off the corners of the back of the seat since I took this pic.



Hey!! I can still use pictures and information about this boat. Don't be shy. It's ok to help out an old duffer.

 

[kewpie79]

Re: Just bought a 1959 "Fiber Flite" and can't find any info anywhere! Help!

Re: Just bought a 1959 "Fiber Flite" and can't find any info anywhere! Help!

I have three pics, done with a bad phone camera. I don't know where the yellow came from. I don't have the standouts like you, I thought it may have been the area on the sides near the front that stick out that you were talking about. I believe my model is the sportsman.
View attachment 115775View attachment 115776View attachment 115777

 

[Ididntdoit]

Re: Just bought a 1959 "Fiber Flite" and can't find any info anywhere! Help!

Re: Just bought a 1959 "Fiber Flite" and can't find any info anywhere! Help!

Hey kewpie, either I don't know how to see your pics or they aren't there. When I click on them it just says invalid link. Can you help me out somehow so I can see what you're talking about. Also, I got to looking around and I think I should have started this on the "restoration" forum. That might be why I'm not getting much input. I wonder if there is a way to just put this whole thing on that forum, or do I need to start a new thread? Help?

 

[kewpie79]

Re: Just bought a 1959 "Fiber Flite" and can't find any info anywhere! Help!

Re: Just bought a 1959 "Fiber Flite" and can't find any info anywhere! Help!


I also sent you a PM

 

[Ididntdoit]

Re: Just bought a 1959 "Fiber Flite" and can't find any info anywhere! Help!

Re: Just bought a 1959 "Fiber Flite" and can't find any info anywhere! Help!

Wow. Your paint looks great. Did you do that yourself?